Nashville Zoo mourns death of rare clouded leopard cub
'This cub represented a proud achievement for us and a hopeful future for her species,' said Nashville Zoo President and CEO Rick Schwartz. 'She captured the hearts of millions of people, and we are absolutely devastated.'
According to the zoo, the cub was born on Feb. 25. She was the third litter for the mated pair of Niran and Ron but the fourth female cub to be born to Niran.
ORIGINAL STORY: Nashville Zoo welcomes new clouded leopard cub
Since she was the first and only clouded leopard cub born in a zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums this year, officials described the cub's survivability as 'critical' and chose to hand-rear the cub.
The cub gained attention across the country over the past few weeks as the zoo posted pictures and videos of her on social media.
Then, on Thursday, April 3, the cub developed acute hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE), a bleeding into the GI tract, so the Nashville Zoo said its veterinary team reacted immediately and tried to alleviate the issue. However, their efforts were unsuccessful. Officials have yet to determine the cause of the HGE.
'Rest in peace, little one. You will be deeply missed, but your impact on clouded leopard conservation will live on,' the zoo posted on Facebook.
This news comes just one week before voting was set to close in the naming contest for the cub. For the past few weeks, people have been asked to pick between three names — Lara, Mi, and Tashi — and donate $1 per vote, with all proceeds going to support Save Vietnam's Wildlife. The winning name was going to be announced on Sunday, April 13.
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'Clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa) are native to the tropical lowlands of Southeast Asia in countries such as Nepal and Bangladesh. They are considered vulnerable to extinction according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to deforestation, poaching and pet trade. Precise data on clouded leopard population numbers is not known, but researchers estimate there are around 10,000 clouded leopards in the wild,' the Nashville Zoo said in a statement on Saturday, April 5. 'Specific populations can be difficult to track, as the clouded leopard is among the rarest of the world's cat species and one of the most elusive. The reduced number of pelts encountered at illegal markets and reduced sightings of clouded leopards by people within its range suggest the species is in decline.'
The Nashville Zoo said it's part of the Clouded Leopard Species Survival Plan, working to protect the species through collaborative breeding programs, assisted reproduction, advanced veterinary care, and captive husbandry techniques.
To learn more about the zoo's conservation efforts, click here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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